Press Releases

Let’s Make El Chapo Pay for the Wall

Brady Joins Senator Cruz’s EL CHAPO Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady joined Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Mo Brooks (R-AL) in calling to reserve billions of dollars seized from Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán and other drug lords to pay for increased border security, including a border wall. After signing on as an original co-sponsor of H.R. 2186, the Ensuring Lawful Collection of Hidden Assets to Provide Order (EL CHAPO) Act, Congressman Brady issued the following statement:

For decades, drug lords like El Chapo have spread addiction and violence, destroying countless lives in the process. The EL CHAPO Act is a creative and direct solution that will help secure the border while providing a fiscally responsible way of fulfilling one of President Trump’s key promises to the American people. I am proud to be working with Senator Cruz and Representative Brooks on this important legislation, and I look forward to helping it pass the House.

BACKGROUND: The EL CHAPO Act is identical to Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s bill of the same name. It reserves any amounts forfeited to the federal government as a result of criminal prosecution of drug lords for border security assets and the completion of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán is the notorious former leader of the Sinoloa drug cartel and the U.S. is currently seeking criminal forfeiture of over $14 billion in illicit profits from. Extradited to the U.S. in January, El Chapo now awaits criminal proceedings.

ICMYI: Yesterday, I joined Farmers for Free Trade at the #Rally4USMCA with my colleagues from both parties to urge Congress to pass the USMCA, ASAP!
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